The After Effects
by Allyson
Summary: Set after The Mummy 2. Evelyn and Jonathon deals with the aftermath - "Since we got back from Ahm Shere all of you have been treating me like glass. Nothing is going to happen to me."


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The Mummy – The After Effects.

By Allyson

Rating – PG

Disclaimer – I do not own any of the characters from The Mummy though I'm sure my sister wishes she did.

It had been almost two months since the O'Connell's had returned from Ahm Shere and Evelyn was glad to be safely at home, far away from the nightmares of Egypt. She had promised herself the moment they had returned to England that she would never step foot on Egyptian sands ever again. Her death and reawakening, however, still hung over the family, like a dark foreboding shadow. Rick, Alex and Jonathon had all individually felt responsible for not preventing her death. She had done her best to convince them it was no-ones fault but it still remained unspoken. By an unspoken agreement, the boys had kept a constant eye out for her since their return and wherever she went there was always one of them not far away. Evelyn had noticed the constant chaperoning but had not commented on it until now. At first knowing Rick, Alex and Jonathon were there for her and that having them there made her feel safe was a comfort to Evelyn. Rick had become fiercely protective over his wife, comforting her if she had a nightmare after the horrors they had gone through or driving her to the museum and back so she would not have to walk the streets alone. Alex had become reluctant to leave his Mum to go to school and had taken to habitably hugging and holding Evelyn's hand to reassure himself that she was real and that it wasn't all a dream. Jonathon had been spending less time at the bars and gambling tables and more time at home and even joining his sister more frequently at the museum. After almost two months of the same treatment, however, Evelyn was starting to feel smothered by their concern and was beginning to wish that they would stop.

Descending the stairs to the main reception area, Evelyn walked towards the small library with a stack of books in her arms. As she entered the room, she paused on the threshold when she noticed her brother sitting in a chair, seemingly staring blankly at the fireplace. An unread newspaper on Jonathon's lap and an empty whisky glass were the only signs that he had actually planned to do anything while sat there. His lack of activity bothered Evelyn. Though he wasn't much of an active person, she had never seen him sit still for so long. Though he smiled and distracted Alex with his mischief, stories and card games, Evelyn had noticed that her brother had become more quiet and withdrawn when he thought no one was around. Walking into the room she placed the books onto the side table next to Jonathon with more force than needed, startling him out of his reverie.

"Hello, old Mum," he smiled at her, looking slightly guilty at being caught. "I thought you and Rick were going to pick up Alex from school."

"I was busy researching so Rick went without me," she replied.

Jonathon cast a worried look at the books but on seeing his sisters glare, refrained from commenting. Every time, Evelyn picked up an ancient text to decipher, Jonathon couldn't help but worry it wouldn't lead them onto another risky adventure for any rare and forgotten artifact that caught her eye.

"I was thinking about going to the museum later to pick up some texts that I left behind yesterday," his sister said, as she began to replace her pile of books into a nearby bookcase.

"But O'Connell's taken the car to get Alex," Jonathon protested, as he watched her climb up the small guilded staircase to a higher shelf of the bookcase.

"Jonathon, I'm old enough to walk to the museum on my own," responded Evelyn, trying not to sound irritated. "Besides it's never bothered you before."

"Yes, I know," replied Jonathon, getting out of his chair to stand below her. "But Evy . . . I . . . what about Alex? He'll want to see you when he gets home for school."

"Oh, Jonathon, stop it," sighed Evelyn, from her perch above him. "Nothing's going to happen to me. Imhotep is buried and dead again. He'll not snatch me off the street. You really must believe me."

"That's not the point, Evy," insisted her brother, growing upset with his sister's stubbornness. "There are other danger's out there, not just mummies. Thieves, motor car accidents, you could trip and fall in the street or you –"

"Jonathon!" interrupted Evelyn, crossly, jerking around to look down. "Stop that silly talk now! Really, you should know better than anyone that any of those can happen to anyone and not necessarily to me. You, Alex and Rick have got to start trusting me when I say nothing will happen to me."

"But Evy –"

"No," cut off Evelyn, gesturing wildly with her arm in exasperation. The motion unlodged a thick book from underneath her arm and sent it tumbling down onto Jonathon's head. With a cry of pain, Jonathon crumpled to the ground.

"Jonathon!?" Cried out Evelyn, in shock. She hurriedly shoved the rest of the books into a gap in the bookcase and quickly made her way down the steps and to her brother's side. "Jonathon, can you hear me?"

When there was no reply, Evelyn gently turned him over so his head rested on her lap. A bump on the back of the head indicated where the book had hit him but luckily there was no wound to worry about. Patting his face gently, she kept repeating his name until after a short while he started to come round with a groan of pain. It seemed to take far too long for his eyes to focus on his sister.

"Jonathon, are you okay?" she asked, softly.

"What happened? I feel like my head has been split in two," groaned Jonathon.

"I dropped a book on you," replied Evelyn, apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's alright, old mum," smiled Jonathon, weakly, "My head's used to it."

Evelyn smiled in relief. "Thank goodness you are alright. Do you think you can sit up now?"

Jonathon indicated that he would try but on pushing up on his elbows began to feel dizzy and sank down against Evelyn. "Sorry," he apologized, once he felt better.

"Let me help you," suggested Evelyn.

With his sister's help, Jonathon managed to sway to his feet.

"Maybe you need to lie down for a while," recommended Evelyn, worried about Jonathon's pale face and inability to stop swaying. "I'll get you something for you're headache."

At that moment the front door opened and Alex ran into the house in search for his mother, leaving Rick to close the door and follow. Alex burst into the library but stopped short when he saw his mum supporting his uncle.

"Uncle John, what's wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about, Alex," reassured Jonathon, with a wan smile. "Just a slight bump on the head."

Alex's face dropped. "Does that mean you won't be able to help me with my school project?"

"Maybe later," promised Evelyn. "Uncle John needs a rest first."

"What happened?" asked Rick, as he entered the room. "Not a hangover at this time in the afternoon, Jonathon?"

"Rick," admonished Evelyn, seeing Jonathon's indignant look. "Help me get Jonathon to his room."

"No, I can do it myself," said Jonathon, pulling away from his sister. This time he didn't sway as he left the room. Alex followed him out the room.

Evelyn turned an unhappy look on Rick.

"What did I say?" asked Rick, bemused.

"Jonathon hasn't been drinking," she told him. "I accidentally dropped a book on his head and he passed out. He came too not long before you and Alex came home."

"What did he do to deserve that?" asked Rick.

"Nothing, it was my fault," replied Evelyn. "He was trying to persuade me not to go to the museum on my own and I –"

"Woah, why were you planning to do that?" asked Rick. "You know I would have driven you over there when I'd come back from picking up Alex. Jonathon was right."

"No," protested his wife. "He's not. And neither are you. Since we got back from Ahm Shere all of you have been treating me like glass. Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm not going to die. You have to let me live my own life again."

Rick smiled sadly. "I know," he agreed. "But I can't help worrying about you. Do you know how scared I was when you died? I thought I'd lost you."

"I know," she replied, taking hold of his hand. "I was scared too. But see you can feel my hand, can't you? It means I'm here, alive and not going anywhere. Why should I when I've got my three favourite boys to look after me."

"And I won't let anything happen to you again," Rick told her, kissing her forehead. "I can't promise that I'll stop worrying about you though."

"That's good," smiled Evelyn. "If you agree to let me go to the museum without a constant chaperone, I promise not to drop any books on Jonathon, deal?"

"Deal," laughed Rick. "Maybe you should let Jonathon know that he won't need to wear a hard hat from now on."

Evelyn looked thoughtful. "I think I'll go and see if he's okay now," she said, as she left the room and headed upstairs to her brother's bedroom. Knocking softly on the door she heard Alex call out for her to come in. On opening the door, she found Jonathon looking much better lying on top of his bed helping Alex with his school project. She tried not to smile at the two guilty faces looking back at her.

"Alex, didn't I tell you to let your Uncle rest before doing your homework?" she demanded.

"Don't tell him off, Evy," responded Jonathon, before Alex could think of an excuse. "I told him it was okay to do it now. I'm feeling much better."

"Alex, why don't you clean up your room while I have a talk to your Uncle?" suggested Evelyn. "You can come back and finish your project later."

"But Mum . . ."

"Go on, Alex," encouraged Jonathon, not wanting to upset Evelyn. "We'll do this after dinner."

Reluctantly, Alex left the room and Evelyn closed the door. Sitting on the bed next to her brother she looked at him closely. She couldn't deny that he did look better.

"I'm sorry about dropping that book on you," she apologized. "I've been talking with Rick and he's agreed that it's okay that I walk to the museum on my own whenever I feel like going."

Jonathon looked surprised. "What?"

"I'm going to continue living the way I did before Ahm Shere whether you and Rick like it or not," Evelyn told him, firmly. "I can't keep hiding away whenever there's the slightest hint of danger, it's not fair. I know you're concerned but you needn't be."

"I'm your brother I have to worry about you," said Jonathon, smiling sadly. "Besides if I lost you again, I'd lose the only family I've got and . . . well it occurred to me when I thought you were . . . gone that it'd be the end for me."

"Jonathon, don't talk that way," Evelyn dismissed, upset by her brother's dark thoughts. "I'm not your only family. Alex needs you as well. He's devoted to you."

Jonathon looked away from Evelyn, guiltily. 

"I need you as well, Jonathon," Evelyn told him, sincerely. "I promise that I won't leave again but you have to stop thinking so bad about yourself."

"You can't promise that," Jonathon replied.

"Well, you'll just have to promise that you'll help me then," smiled Evelyn, encouragingly. "But I have to live normally again."

Slowly, Jonathon nodded. "Does this mean you won't drop any more books on me?" he teased.

Evelyn laughed and hugged her brother. "We'll see."

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THE END.

P.S. I know it's a naff ending but it was the best I could think of at the time. :op


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